Boat hoist



P 1959 J. BUCKNER 2,902,184

BOAT HOIST I Filed May 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l .90 INVENTOR.

TE. 5 J wu A. sac/ova? J. A. BUCKN ER BOAT HOIST Sept. 1, 1959 Filed May 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

\ V J! will A. 500M464 A rrox/vir United States Patent BOAT HOIST Jewell A. Buckner, Royal Oak, Mich.

Application May 6, 1957, Serial No. 657,421

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-392) This invention relates to boat hoists and particularly pertains to a boat hoist locatable in the water for raising and lowering a boat into and out of the water.

Boat hoists have been employed heretofore to facilitate raising and lowering boats into and out of the water particularly in conjunction with expensive boats and large lakes where rough water is occasioned, however, the several devices of the prior art have not proven entirely satisfactory inasmuch as they are complicated in design and construction, expensive to manufacture and purchase, and difiicult and unsatisfactory in use.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is to provide a boat hoist which is simple in design and construction, inexpensive to manufacture and purchase, and easy and satisfactory in use.

An object of the invention is to provide a transportable hoist construction for locating the hoist on the bottom of a lake or on piers.

An object of the invention is to provide a bottom frame, upright vertical posts on the bottom frame for extending upwardly out of the water, a top frame on the posts, and a roof on the top frame for keeping rain water out of a boat.

An object of the invention is to provide paired rotatable shaft members adjacent either end of the hoist which are adjustable as to heighth so as to coordinate the lift of the boat relative to the level of the water.

An object of the invention is to provide paired torque arms on each paired shaft having axles disposed therebetween interconnected by drag links so as to coordinate the operation of one set of shafts and torque arms with the other.

An object of the invention is to provide power means such as a crank arm and power means on one shaft for powering the movement of the torque arms and drag links at either end of the device.

An object of the invention is to provide sidewise adjustable couplings, bearings, and hubs on the shafts, torque arms, and drag links so as to render the device completely adjustable for any width boat.

An object of the invention is to provide heightwise adjustable walk-ways on either side of the device suspended on the vertical poles so as to provide easy access to a boat stationed on the hoist.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of a boat hoist embodying the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the device in the lowered condition; the raised condition of the hoist portions and boat being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 taken on the line 2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3 thereof showing the axle and hub arrangement.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 taken on the line 4-4 thereof showing the post clamp and bearing arrangement.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 taken on the line 5-5 thereof showing the transverse construction of the hoist.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional showing of Fig. 5 illustrating the roof attachment and construction.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the device equipped with wheels and a trailer hitch; the raised position of the wheels being shown in dotted lines; and

Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of Fig. 7 taken on the line 8-8 thereof showing the wheel attachment in detail.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the boat hoist disclosed therein to illustrate the invention comprises a bottom frame member having tubular end pieces 21 and 22 and tubular side pieces 23 and 24; paired upright tubular posts 25 through inclusive are welded to the bottom frame 20 at their bottom ends; the top frame 31 is welded to the upper ends of the posts 25 through 30 and includes end pieces 33 and 34 and side members 35 and 36; the arcuate roof panel 37 is screwed to the side members 35 and 36 via the screws 38 and is disposed in a bowed condition so as to cause the water to run to either side thereof.

Paired clamps and 40A are disposed on paired posts such as posts 26 and 26A and are equipped with set screws 39 for fixedly locating the clamps in a desired adjusted heighth position. Like paired clamps 41 and 41A are disposed on paired poles such as the upright posts 29 and 29A adjacent the opposite end of the hoist structure; the clamps 40 and 41 are equipped with bearings 42 and rotatably support the paired shafts 43 and 44'and the shafts are equipped with apertures 45 for axially adjusting couplings thereon; paired couplings 46 and 47 are disposed on the shaft 43 and paired couplings 48 and 49 are disposed on the shaft 44 and the couplings 46-49 are equipped with pins receivable in the shaft apertures 45 for adjusting the axial position of the couplings 46- 49 on the shafts 43 and 44 and the pin connection therebetween effects the angular movement of the couplings 46-49 with the shafts 43 and 44. Paired torque arms 50-53 are respectively fixed on the couplings 46-49 and the paired bearings 54-57 are fixed on the torque arms 50-53 respectively; paired axles 58 and 59 lie between the paired bearings 54 and 55 and the paired bearings 56 and 57 respectively, the axles 58 and 59 are equipped with axially spaced apertures 60 for pin positioning the location of torque arm hubs thereon.

Paired drag link hubs 61 and 62 are disposed on the axle 58 and paired drag link hubs 63 and 64 are disposed on the axle 59 and a pin connection is provided via the apertures 60 for locating the hubs in a fixed axial position on the axles; the paired drag links 65 and 66 are welded between the hubs 61 and 63 respectively and between the hubs 62 and 64 respectively, and the pads 67 and 68 are disposed on the drag links 65 and 66 respectively via the pivotal mountings 69 and 70.

The walks 71 are fixed on brackets 72 and supported by braces 73 with the bracket 72 leading to a coupling 74 and the brace 73 leading to a coupling 75 which couplings 74 and 75 are adjustably fixable on theupright posts such as the posts 28 and 28A and it is to be noted that the walk-way assembly can be disposed outwardly of the posts as seen at the right side of Fig. 5 or inwardly of the posts as seen at the left side of Fig. 5. Since the couplings 74 and 75 are adjustably fixableto the post 28 the walk-Way 71 can be raised or lowered as desired to coordinate with the water level and the heighth of the boat 76 as adjusted by the hoist mechanism. Obviously as many walk-way support assemblies 77 as desired can be fixed to the various posts 25 -30 and 25A30A as desired to support any length walk at as many points as suitable.

The shaft 43' is provided with a crank arm 78 which is operated by a hydraulicj'ack 79' anchored to a post 27 such as by the coupling 100-, and it is obvious that the crank arm and power assembly can be connected to the other. shaft 44 if desired. Trailer hitch 101 is welded at one end of the device such as on the end tube 22' and paired wheels 103 are rotatably mounted on extension tubes 10 which are bolted to the upright posts 27 and 27A as by the bolts 105 and- 106' and it will be understood that by removing the bolt- 106 the wheel assembly can be swung upwardly to the position seen in dotted line in Fig. 7 and the belt 106 reinserted in the tubular posts 27 and 27A to hold it in the upright position.

Relative to supporting the operating linkageand boat in the down position resiliently for travelling, the couplings 46-49- are equipped with brackets 80-83 respectively which carry the springs 8487 respectively; the rod 88 is fixed across the springs 84 and 85 and the rod 85! is fixed across the springs 86 and 87; the drag link extensions 90: and 91 rest on the rod- 88 and the drag links 65 and 66 rest on the rod 89. As the couplings 46-49 carry the brackets, springs, and rods, they rotate with the couplings as the shafts 43- and 44 turnin raising and lowering the hoist; due to the fact that the brackets 80- 83 are on the opposite sideof; the couplings 46 49 to the torque arms 50'-53 the brackets move in the opposite angular direct-ion sothat the brackets, springs, and rods move upwardly as the torque arms lower thedragv links 65 and 66 and the extensions 90 and 91 downwardly. Under this condition any tendency of the drag links and extensions to move downwardly is olfsetvia the torque arms and brackets to move the rods 88 and 89 upwardliyso as to prevent bottoming of drag-links and extensions on the shafts 43' and 44'.

In operation the wheels B are located in the down position and the. trailer hitch 101 connected toa vehicle and the boat: hoist assembly towed to-the= Waters edge whereupon by raising the wheels 1 03 to the upward dotted line position, the. bottom frame member. can be located on the: beach or on. piers in the water so that the: bottom. frame assembly is located below the water Lovell by a desired amount as: required and dictated by the draft of the boat to be stored and hoisted therein.

in positioning the bottom frame 205 on; footings or a lakc bottom and in raising: the bottom frame 2'0 fromfootings, or a lake bottom the wheels 106' and their swing-- ably mounted: arms. perform important. functions. With the'hitch 101 connected to. a vehicle or otherwise con-- trolledzfor'lengthwise movement, the trailer hoist is backed into the water to the proper position andtthe wheels 103' blocked; the: lock. bolts 10.6 are. then removed and the trailer hoistv moved lengthwise-via therhitchi 10-1 with the wheels. 103' providingpivot points and the pivot bolts 105 providing fulcrum: points for the. tube: arms 104 so that the: tube arms: I04- swing. over' the stationary wheels 103 like toggle arms: and lower'thetrailer hoist frame gently into position; the wheels 103 are then unlocked and swung intotheir dotted line: position; of Fig; 7; above. the 'water level.

To remove the. trailer hoist from. the water,.the1wheels 103. are. dropped from their dotted. line position. of Fig; 7 until they rest on the lake: bottom or are: otherwise sup-- ported as desired; and due'to the fact'that; the frame: 20? is,v at the ground line level of Fig. 7,. the wheels: cannot: drop. to the solid. line position; of Fig-.. 7 so that: they are: ofi-set angularlysuch as toward: the; hitch 101 which: is connected to: a prime moversuch: as avehicle andv the: wheels 103 are then blocked. The trailer bitch: is then: moved forwardly and the. tube arms 104 act: as toggles between the wheels. 103 and pivot. bolts 105 to raise the trailer hoist over. the wheels 1031; the lockbolts 106s are:

then inserted to hold the tube arms 104 against pivoting and the trailer hitch can then be hauled out of the water on the wheels 103.

The hitch 101 is preferably fixed on an extendable beam so that the trailer hoist can be pushed farther into the Water and extracted therefrom thereby facilitating location in the water at points removed from the edge and the posts 25-30 and 25A30A are preferably telescoped for lowering the roof 37 for road travel and the tube arms 104 are preferably telescoped with springs disposed between the sections to provide resilience relative to road shocks in traveling.

Depending on the Width and length of the boat to be stored, the clamps 40 and40A and 41 and 41A are located at the desired height adjusted to the depth to which the bottom frame member is submerged and also to the draft of the boat. Depending on the width of the boat the couplings 46-49 are axially adjusted on the shafts 43 and 44 to the desired axial position and the axles 58 and 59 are located relative to the bearings 54-57 via the nuts or clamps on the ends of the axles 58 and 59. Depending on the width of the boat and the shape of the boat bottom the hubs 61-64 are axially adjusted on the axles 58' and 50 respectively so as to position the drag links 65 and 66 and pads 67 and 68 thereon to coordinate with the boat width and bottom formation. The cross-arm 91' is provided adjacent the axle 59 so as to prevent the torque arms52 and 53' fromdropping below center or becoming fixed on dead center due to the fact that they are dependent for mechanical action on the drag links 65-66'. Anti-friction bronze or nylon sleeves 92 and 93' can be disposed between the bearings 54-57 and the bearings 46'-49 as illustrated in Figs; 3' and 4.

When it is desired to hoist a boat the drag links 65 and 66 that" arelocated as shown in the solid line position of Fig. 1 and the boat floated thereover whereupon the hydraulic jack 79 is operated to power the crank arm. 78 to rotate the shaft 43 to angularly' move the torque arms 50 and 51 which action is transmitted to the axle 58 and again transmitted via the drag link 65 and 66 to the axle 59 and torque arm 52 and 53 whereupon both ends of the device raise to the position seen in dottedlines in Fig; 1 carrying the boat above the water level 92'; after the boat has been raised, the hydraulic jack 79 is locked.

Upon the user desiring to lower the boat, the hydraulic jack 79 is released and the device automatically lowers to the position-shown in solid lines of Fig. 1.

The inventive boat hoist With the features described constitutes a compact, durable, adjustable, and neat device easily operated to raise and lower a boat as desired and the roof structure 37 prevents the weather from affecting theboat in the stored position due to the fact that the' boat in the raised position is closed adjacent the roof panel 37.

Although but a single embodiment ofthe invention has. been shown and described in detail, it i's-obvious' that many changesmay be made in the size, shape, detail; and arrangement of the various. elements of the invention within. the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A boat hoist comprising a bottom' frame having" opposite sides and ends, a top-frame having opposite sides and ends, paired vertical posts disposed between said frames at spaced intervals, paired clamps on said paired posts: on opposite sides of' said frames adjacent the frame one end, paired clamps on said paired posts onopposite sides of said frames adjacent the frame other end;. all: said clamps being heighth-wise adjustable on said posts; all said clampshaving'bearingsfor'receiving shafts therein; shafts disposed between said paired clamp bearings adjacent both ends of said frames; pairedaxially adjustable: couplings fixed. on: said shafts,- paired torque arms on said couplings;. said torque armsi having outer ends; paired bearings on the outer' ends; of. each. said torque armdisposed axially parallelzto-saidshafts, paired axles disposed in said paired torque arm bearings, paired hubs axially adjustably disposed on said axles, paired drag links disposed between like hubs on said axles, a crank arm on one said shaft, and power means for moving said crank arm to angularly move said one shaft to angularly move said torque arms on said one shaft and said torque arms on said other shaft via said drag links; said torque arms and drag links being adapted to receive and support a boat thereon; said crank arm and power means being adapted to angularly move said torque arms and drag links upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower a boat disposed thereon.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, pivotally disposed pad members on said drag links for supporting a boat bottom over a large area; said pads being able to angularly move to conform to a boat bottom under the weight force of the boat.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1, brackets on said couplings opposed to said torque arms, springs on said brackets, and paired rods attached to said springs paralleling said shafts; said brackets, springs, and rods being adapted to swing upwardly as said torque arms swing downwardly so as to bring said rods into contact with said drag links to resiliently support same.

4. A boat hoist comprising paired oppositely located vertical posts disposed at spaced intervals, paired clamps on two pairs of said paired posts, paired clamps on said paired posts; all said clamps being heighth-wise adjustable on said posts; all disposed between said paired clamp bearings, paired axially adjustable couplings fixed on said shafts, paired torque arms on said couplings; said torque arms having outer ends; paired bearings on the outer ends of each said torque arm disposed axially parallel to said shafts; paired axles disposed in said paired torque arm bearings, paired hubs axially adjustably disposed on said axles, paired drag links disposed between like hubs on said axles, a crank arm on one said shaft, and power means for moving said crank arm to angularly move said one shaft to angularly move said torque arms on said one shaft and said torque arms on said other shaft via said drag links; said torque arms and drag links being adapted to receive and support a boat thereon; said crank arm and power means being adapted to angularly move said torque arms and drag links upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower a boat disposed thereon.

5. A boat hoist comprising paired oppositely located vertical posts disposed at spaced intervals, paired clamps on two pairs of said paired posts, paired clamps on said paired posts; all said clamps being heighth-wise adjustable on said posts, all said clamps having bearings for receiving shafts therein; shafts disposed between said paired clamp bearings, paired axially adjustable couplings fixed on said shafts, paired torque arms on said couplings; said torque arms having outer ends; paired bearings on the outer ends of each said torque arm disposed axially parallel to said shafts, paired axles disposed in said paired torque arm bearings, paired hubs axially adjustably disposed on said axles, means interconnecting said shafts for coordinating simultaneous operating, and power means for operating said shafts; said torque arms and means being adapted to receive and support a boat thereon; said means and power means being adapted to angularly move said torque arms and drag links upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower a boat disposed thereon.

6. A boat hoist comprising a top frame having opposite sides and ends, paired oppositely located vertical posts disposed at spaced intervals, paired clamps on two pairs of said paired posts, paired clamps on said paired posts; all said clamps being heighth-wise adjustable on said posts; all said clamps having bearings for receiving shafts therein; shafts disposed between said paired clamp bearings, paired torque arms on said shafts; said torque arms having outer ends; paired bearings on the outer ends of each said torque arm disposed axially parallel to said shafts, paired axles disposed in said paired torque arm bearings, means interconnecting said shafts for coordinating operation, and power means for operating said shafts; said torque arms being adapted to receive and support a boat thereon; said means and power means being adapted to angularly move said torque arms upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower a boat disposed thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,531,180 Erickson Mar; 24, 1925 2,595,453 Gilmore May 6, 1952 2,676,716 Sallis Apr. 27, 1954 2,721,085 Powell Oct. 18, 1955 

